Good Morning from the Church Mouse
Friday, October 23, 2020
21 Pentecost, Proper 25, Year A
Sunday, October 25, 2020

please join us in the way best for you ....

Option 1

At 10:30 a.m. we will offer limited seating by reservation.

Upon arrival
your temperature will be taken
and an usher will seat you according to the reserved seating chart.

Those who are school age and above
will be required to wear a face mask at all times.
(we have extras in case you forget yours!)

A hand sanitizer station is available as you enter the church.


RSVP's are required for safety precautions.

Please notify Debi by text at 405 385 2503
We will need to know how many in your family will be attending.
Please RSVP by Noon on Friday.


All Service Bulletins are to be removed
and trashed outside of the building
by reserved participants and altar servers.


Option 2

The Service will also be available by zoom Sunday morning.

Log into the zoom session on our webpage.

The Service bulletin is available on the website
and by clicking here.

Please print the bulletin
before the Service begins
as we cannot show the bulletin as a part of our live zoom Service.


Our wonderful Worship Crew will be:

Rev. Mary........................................Celebrant
Amy Parsons...................................Lay Reader
Oliver Sutherland.............. ............Acolyte
Dalton Parsons ..............................Video Technology
Gerry Frank ...................................Organist
Anne Hacker .................................Altar Guild Member
Stephen Baker ...............................Pastoral Care Greeter

Acolyte: Please be at the church by 10:00 in order to get dressed and receive any last minute instructions before the Service. Thank you.



We are fortunate that we have the volunteers, the technology, and the support of the St. Andrew's community to allow us to worship safely.


Be safe and be well.

Rev. Mary
Magdalena Vinson

This little Bug is 9 whole months today! Happy Inside Out Day little one!! Three quarters of the way ‘round the year. (Please slow down....mama’s not ready for you to be this grown up this soon.)

Sunday, November 1st is All Saints' Day, and we will be remembering by name all those who are our faithfully departed saints. To let us know who your saints are, please contact the parish office by email: standrewschurchmouse@gmail.com or text at 405-385-2503.

If you would like to donate to the Altar Flower Flower or Communion Wine fund in honor of your Saint, you may send a check to the St. Andrew's, P.O. Box 938. Please mark your check "altar flowers or communion wine". Thank you.

You can tell when a trip is long because you start setting goals that mark your progress. Recently I was telling myself that I could make it to the final debate. Now that is done so I want to make it to the election itself. Then to the end of the year. Maybe it is a sign of fatigue, but I believe many of us are counting days now and watching for a new year. But I will tell you one thing: if I had to live through this long march through Covid-19, I could not ask for anything better than to make the trip with you. Seeing you here each day has kept me going. Just when I thought I was ready to sit down and give up, I would catch a glimpse of you helping others along the way and I would regain my strength. I know we will make it because you are showing the way. Not by counting days, but by caring for those around you. You embody an ancient truth known to any spiritual traveler: It is not how far we walk on our own, but how well we walk together that matters.

The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston,
a Native American elder, author, and retired Episcopal Bishop of Alaska.
Guess who is turning 90 on November 1st ?

Kermit Ingham !! Kermit lives at Primrose and this pandemic has really limited his social contact with everyone.

So, let's all send Kermit a birthday card to to help him celebrate his birthday. You can send it to:

Kermit Ingham
c/0 Primrose Retirement Center
823 S. Range Road
Stillwater, OK 74074
Living Compass

Mindful Raking

A story is told about a Buddhist monk who was asked what he did before he attained enlightenment. He responded, "I chopped wood and carried water." He was then asked what he did after achieving the highest state of enlightenment. "I continued to chop wood and carry water." The point is that living a mindful, spiritual life does not always lead to dramatic changes in our or behaviors, although it indeed may. Living a mindful, spiritual life changes us on the inside; it changes our perspective on life. What we do may not change, but our mindset while doing it will likely shift.
All that I just shared with you came to my mind early this week when I was raking leaves. If you were to walk by my house while I was raking, you might think to yourself, "There's a guy raking his lawn." This would be true, but what you might not realize is that what you are also observing is a guy who is having a spiritual moment.

I actually love raking leaves. I have been looking forward to it for weeks and am so excited the time has come again here in Wisconsin for this annual ritual. Raking the brilliantly colored leaves reminds me of both the beauty and the impermanence of life—all the more reason to live more mindfully in the present moment. Raking the yard can be mindless work, or when done mindfully, it can be energizing and even comforting.

All of us have numerous mindless tasks that we do regularly: brushing our teeth, taking a shower, making meals, taking care of the kids, doing the laundry, taking out the garbage, cleaning the house, grocery shopping, and paying the bills. Like the leaves that are falling from my trees right now, all of these tasks are constant. These are the givens of life.
What is optional, though, is the mindset we will bring to doing these things. Will we do them with impatience or resentment, wishing we could get on with something more important or more pleasurable? Or will we do them with a spirit of acceptance, being fully present in the moment? Can we find a way to be grateful that we have a yard to rake, kids to care for, or a house to clean? Attitude will not alter the time needed to perform a task, but it will determine whether we end up feeling content or exhausted when we are through.

The next time you have a repetitive task to do, try making it a mindful task, doing it with presence and gratitude for all you have and all you have been given. Remember, it won't take any longer to do, and it just might make a difference in your well-being and the well-being of those around you.

By Scott Stoner, for Living Compass
Forward Day by Day, October 23

Saint James of Jerusalem

Matthew 13:57b But Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor except in their own country and in their own house.”

Today we remember James of Jerusalem, one of Jesus’ brothers. Some believe that James was Jesus’ biological brother, while others disagree. Nevertheless, James clearly knew Jesus as a very human brother, with faults and failings like his own. As it was for others in the small town of Nazareth, James struggled to imagine his brother as anything more than human.

This raises interesting questions for us. Did Mary and Joseph ever talk with their other children about the unusual events surrounding Jesus’ conception and birth? Was Jesus their favorite? Did they have a hard time treating all their children equally? What was it like for James to have his own brother appear alive before him, after a brutal and public execution?

Clearly Jesus’ post-resurrection appearance made a lasting impression on his brother because James became the leader of the infant church in Jerusalem.

MOVING FORWARD: What questions do you have about James or Jesus’ family? Make a plan to research and discover the answers to your questions.

PRAY for the Church of Nigeria

We understand the hardship and financial stress the COVID pandemic has been for everyone. We recognize and understand, an individual can do and give only what is prudent for their circumstance. Whatever support you can give will be deeply appreciated.

You can make your offerings or contributions through Tithely , make arrangements through your bank to have a check mailed to the church, or just drop a check in the mail (P.O. Box 938, Stillwater, OK 74076).

Stay safe and God be with you.”
The Episcopal Public Policy Network

This All Saints' Day: Join us for Holding on to Hope: A National Service for Healing and Wholeness. Along with a sermon from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, the service will include reflections from Father James Martin, a noted Roman Catholic commentator on American life and values, and Valarie Kaur, an inspiring Sikh author, filmmaker and civil rights attorney. The gathering will be officiated by Washington’s Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, Cathedral Dean Randy Hollerith, and the Reverend Stephanie Spellers, Canon to the Presiding Bishop.
Learn more at iam.ec/hope. #Episcopal
EYC (Episcopal Youth Community)

We welcome all youth in grades 6-12 to join us. We will begin this year meeting virtually over Google Groups.

This year for EYC is going to be a little different. With all the challenges our youth are experiencing at this time due to COVID-19, we want to create a safe space for our youth to be able to share and explore the unique challenges they are experiencing framing them in how can their faith and God’s love can help them through these unique times. We invite our youth and their parents to share with our youth ministry leaders the challenges they are facing. This will allow us as a group to explore some of the direct challenges they are facing during this very unique times.

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact Stephen Baker at 405-990-0028.

Looking forward to seeing all our youth.

St. Andrew’s EYC Team
A Seed A Day

Seed of Encouragement

There are going to be times in which we may not be able to see with our physical eyes how things are going to work out for us... but remember that as believers we walk by FAITH and not by sight. So, no matter what we can or cannot see in the natural, stand in faith and keep trusting in God!!! Keep believing and keep declaring God’s promises. God is faithful to His Word and He is able to do what we cannot do... He is even able to do MORE than we can ask or imagine!!!

But we live by faith, not by what we see. 2 Corinthians 5:7

Faith assures us of things we expect and convinces us of the existence of things we cannot see. Hebrews‬ ‭11:1‬
Upcoming events around the Diocese

October 19 Ordination of the Rev. Lance Schmitz



November 7 Diocesan Convention
(Each of the titles below are clickable links

Digital Ministry Resources
Birthdays

October 27 - Gerry Frank
October 28 - Andie Wilber

November 01 - Kermit Ingham
November 03 - Carol Foreman
November 03 - Chloe Taylor
November 06 - Dan Schroeder
November 08 - Marcus Perry

Anniversaries